People, Places and Things: 12-13-14

Give ?The Devil’ his dueHats off to producer Peter McNerney of Swampscott and Lynn musician and composer Brian Maes for their production of The Devil and Billy Shake, a rock opera with 31 original songs, that was performed at Danvers High Friday night. The rock opera was written by Maes and George Simpson.The show will now go back into workshop mode with plans for an updated version in 2015. The ultimate goal is to get it on Broadway, according to McNerney.Duo earns ?Pioneer Pride’ pitching in to help injured teacherLynnfield High School seniors Paul Pascuito and Paul Dirico are the latest inductees into the school’s Pioneer Pride Club following their quick thinking two weeks ago when they helped a teacher who suffered a serious fall on one of the school’s staircases.Guidance department head Michael Moresco said the pair swung into action to attend to the male teacher, who Moresco declined to identify, and stayed with him until help arrived.For “doing the right thing,” Dirico and Pascuito received gift certificates, Pioneer Pride T-shirts and, said Moresco, preferred parking in the school lot for two weeks.Pioneer Pride is a 20-year-old tradition recognizing acts of kindness by students with faculty and other employees in the 630-student school nominating two students every other week. A male and a female student are typically picked for the honor – which also includes student input – but Moresco said Pascuito and Dirico’s accomplishment earned them an exception from Pride tradition. Senior Hannah Travers is the most recent female Pioneer Pride honoree.Jim Higgs new Lynn Economic Opportunity board presidentWoodward and Higgs Insurance Agency owner Jim Higgs succeeded outgoing Lynn Economic Opportunity, Inc. board president Fran Troutman at LEO’s Dec. 10 annual meeting held at the Knights of Columbus.Troutman completed a three-year term but remains on the board. LEO is in the midst of a three-year action plan that includes fundraising and an approach to helping LEO adult clients and their children.Fire unions team up to help the Pierros on Dec. 16Nahant Firefighters Association Local 2718 and Swampscott Firefighters Local 1459 are hosting an evening at the Tides Restaurant in Nahant on Dec. 16, starting at 6 p.m., to benefit Swampscott Firefighter Anthony Pierro and his family. Pierro, his wife, Lori, and their three children lost their home in a Dec. 2 fire.You can now find Jack at ?Lynn’s Jack Suslak covered a lot of ground during the recent political campaign, campaigning for his favorite candidates of the Democrat persuasion.Now, the tireless volunteer worker/Elton John aficionado can be found at a new location. He will be working at the Independent Living Center in Salem as a community information specialist.Suslak said it’s a pretty broad job description, and it could mean anything from answering phones to interacting with the public.Best of luck to him in his new endeavor.Spirit of giving lives at St. PiusStudents at St. Pius V School donated more than 200 toys to Eastern Bank’s Toys for Tots campaign. Led by the student council, St. Pius V had a two-week toy drive, which was a smash success.Hanging the Christmas stockings with careWhen it comes to the Item Santa Fund, Lynn funeral director David J. Solimine leaves no stone unturned. Not only does he coordinate the Santa’s Island drive, which resumes today in Magrane Square in Lynn, but he’s put together a Christmas stocking cut-out drive as well.Solimine gets the cutouts printed up on paper, and then several groups of volunteers, including residents from area nursing homes, cut them out so they can be sold – $1 for the red ones; and $5 for the green ones.The proceeds go to the Item Santa Fund.Those wishing to purchase them may find them at the Lazy Dog in Wyoma Square (ask for Tom Dill), John’s Roast Beef with Taso Nikolakopoulos, the Little River Inn (Ward 7 Councilor Rick Ford), the Four Winds Café (Patrick DeBoever), Rolly’s tavern (Wendy and Rolly Hayes), Charlie’s